Safety container

ABSTRACT

A safety bottle with a so-called &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;child-proof&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; closure that can be removed only by a series of alternating rotative and longitudinal movements similar to that employed in locks on safes or vaults, the closure being allowed to rotate freely for the full circumference but being movable longitudinally from one rotatable position to the successive one at only specific predetermined rotative locations.

United States Patent Swinn [54] SAFETY CONTAINER [72] Inventor: Moyle A. Swinn, 1170 Ramsey View Court, Apt. 705, Sudbury, Ontario,

3,402,842 9/1968 Millian ......t...2i5/9 Primary Examiner-George T. Hall Atlomey-W. lrwin Haskett Canada [22] Filed: July 20, 1970 [57] ABSTRACT [211 A M 56,623 A safety bottle with a so-called child-proof" closure that can be removed only by a series of alternating rotative and longitu- [52] [L8, Cl ..215/9, 215/44 dinal movements similar to that employed in looks on safes or 5! 1m, ,,,A61j1/00, 5 5 55 02 vaults, the closure being allowed to rotate freely for the full 53 F el h 215 9,44,7;22 4 circumference but being movable longitudinally from one rotatable position to the successive one at only specific 5 References Cited predetermined rotative locations.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,422,977 1/1969 Shaw .2 1 5 9 5 Claims 5 Drawing 6o 652 i Zr I I5 I r i M l :1 35 I6 3. 3o '8 t7 PATENTEDAPR 18 m2 I 1 "a I 5 H FIG. 2.

FIG. I.

FIG. 4.

Inventor MOYLE A. SIINN 1 SAFETY CONTAINER This invention relates to improvements in a safety container and appertains particularly to one of the so-called childproof or child resistant type, suitable for packaging pharmaceutics and the like.

In the packaging of potentially toxic products, especially for the protection of small children, a locking form of closure is now widely recognized as an important safety factor in reducing the number of accidental poisonings. Various kinds of friction gripping and compression locking screws have been tried with some success.

The present invention introduces a combined container and closure cap therefor that embodies a novel locking method, in that to apply the closure in full locking relation on the container requires a series of movements longitudinally and rotative with respect to the container.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a safety container with a closure that for lock-on application to the container must be moved through a specific series of movements longitudinally and rotatably with respect to the contamer.

A further object is to provide a safety container wherein the cap in being applied or removed must follow a series ofmovements in which longitudinal and rotative (or vice versa) movements are alternated, and wherein unlimited rotative movement in either direction may be allowed while successive longitudinal movements are possible at only one specified rotative position for each such longitudinal movement.

A further object is to provide a safety container wherein the lock-on closure may be frictionally held in final locking position and yet on rotative release from such position may pass into a confronting locking position that will prevent its first longitudinal movement in the closure removal series of movements.

A further object of the invention is to provide a safety container and closure capable of simple and economical manufacture from such materials as glass, metal, so-called plastics, paper and the like, the container and closure not necessarily being of the same substance.

To the accomplishment of these and related objects as shall become apparent as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts as shall be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

The invention will be best understood and can be more clearly described when reference is had to the drawings forming a part of this disclosure wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

In the drawings:

FIG. I is an elevation of the safety container with the lockon closure in position for application thereto;

FIG. 2 is a vertical section thereof;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a schematic elevation of the closure shown in FIG. 1, with the circumference thereof appearing as it would if rolled out flat; and

FIG. 5 is a similar schematic elevation of the closure-receiving open end of the container appearing as it would if rolled out flat.

In carrying out the invention, a container as indicated by the reference character 1 is a cylindrical receptacle of common diameter throughout its length but it could as well be of bottlelike form with a neck portion of reduced diameter. In any event, and without regard to the material of which it is made, it has a cylindrical open end or mouth 2.

The exterior of the container 1 at and extending for a distance from the open end 2 is provided with certain special configuration to receive a complementary lock-on cap or closure so that the removal of the closure by a young child is rendered quite difficult, complicated or child-resistant. To this end the outer wall of the container has a number of circumferential channel-like grooves 3 formed therein. The grooves are separated by intennediate walls 4 of a width not less than the width of the grooves; the grooves being spaced longitudinally of the container, that is in the direction of the axis thereof. In the illustrated embodiment there are three grooves designated 3a, 3b and 3c respectively. Gaps 5 are made in the groove-separating walls 4, being disposed at different circumferential positions in successive walls, imparting a maze-like character to the configuration of the outer side of the container wall at the open end.

The closure-6 for the container 1 may be of generally conventional design having a closed end 6a and an integral cylindrical skirt 6b of a diameter to fit the open end of the container. At the bottom, on the inside of the skirt 6b there are a number of circumferentially spaced, inwardly directed lugs 7. These lugs are of a thickness and depth corresponding approximately with the depth and width of the grooves 3 in the container l and of a length corresponding with the length of the gaps 5 in the groove-separating walls 4.

Attention is drawn to the fact that the lugs 7 are of different lengths and are not evenly spaced, note for example overlength lug 7a. It follows that the circumferential spacing of the gaps 5 in each successive wall 4 will be correspondingly sized and spaced so that when the closure 6 is applied to the container 1 its lugs 7 will register with correspondingly located gaps of the right lug-accommodating length thus enabling the lugs to pass through to the first groove 3a. By turning the clo sure to a predetermined rotative position the lugs will again register with corresponding gaps in the wall 4 and so allow the closure to again be moved longitudinally with the lugs dropping down into channel 3b. On again turning the closure to another predetermined rotative position the lugs 7 again come into registry with the corresponding series of gaps in the next wall 4 and so drop down into the last channel 3c. Unlike channel 3a and 3b that are without interruption for the full circumference allowing the unimpeded rotation of the closure cap in either direction, the last channel 3c has a stop 8 barring a lug 7 and continuing the clockwise rotation of the closure. The stop 8 may be said to define the inner end of a locking pocket 9 forsecurely holding the lug entering the same, the entrance to the pocket being of reduced size by a constriction l0on the wall 4 that must be caused to flex or compress to allow the lug to pass into the pocket which is of a length not I less than that of the engaged lug. From the constriction 10 to the adjacent gap 5, the wall 4 is inclined as at 11. Furthermore on the opposite side of the gap 5 from the locking pocket 9, a second stop 12 is disposed, into contact with which the lug released from the locking pocket may move when freed by a strong twist, yet will thus still prevent the closure from being accorded its first longitudinal movement in the closure removal series of movements.

In applying the closure to the container there are six distinct movements, three longitudinal movements with a rotative movement succeeding each with that last one requiring a strong twist to force the lug past the constriction into the locking pocket. To remove the closure, the same succession of steps but in reverse order is required.

For guidance of an adult user of the container, the several rotative positions the cap must assume to allow the successive longitudinal movements may be indicated by applying a marking such as an embossed arrow 15 on the container skirt and the sequence of three rotative positions on the container with which the arrow is to be aligned by the numerals l, 2 and 3, or by embossed dots easy as indicated at 16, 17 and 18 respectively; this latter would enable the closure to be removed even in the dark by one acquainted with its use.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention as illustrated shows four unevenly spaced lugs on the closure, this number may be varied but it is desirable that not less than three be used to impart stability to the component, similarly more or less than three longitudinally spaced, circumferential, channel-like grooves may be employed. Likewise, variations in the form of the locking pocket may be used, such as bevelling the inner side of the constriction to lessen the strength of twist required for release. Depending on the material used in the construction of the container and closure, the lug may pass the constriction by causing the groove wall to flex, as mentioned, whilst if the container be hard material such as glass, the closure may be of a plastic with the skirt being resilient or stretchable.

To remove the closure 6 from the container 1, and regarding the operation as similar to opening a vault combination lock, viewed from the top as in plan, FIG. 3, the closure is first rotated with a strong twist to release the retained lug from the locking pocket and in a contraclockwise direction until the arrow 15 is in line with the indicator at about 6.30, secondly the closure is lifted for a longitudinal movement to bring the lugs into channel 3b, thirdly rotated contraclockwise to bring arrow into line with indicator at 1.00, fourthly lifted in second longitudinal movement to raise lugs in channel 3a, fifthly rotated clockwise to bring arrow into line with indicator at 7.00, and sixthly lifted longitudinally to clear the container. Obviously, to apply the closure these same six definite and specific movements must be followed in reverse order, though it will be seen that when the lugs are riding in the first and second channels 3a and 3b the cap may be rotated completely and can only be accorded a longitudinal movement when in a designated rotative position. in the bottom channel, however, the lugs may be moved in one direction into friction lock position or in the reverse direction, beyond the escape gaps, into rotatably stopped position.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be manifest that a safety container is provided that will fulfil all the necessary requirements of such a device, but many changes could be made in the above description and many apparently widely different embodiments of the invention may be constructed without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is:

1. A safety container for packaging pharmaceutics and the like comprising a container with a cylindrical open end having longitudinally spaced, circumferential, channel-like grooves in the exterior thereof, walls separating said channel-like grooves, and gaps in said walls; and a closure including a cylindrical skirt with circumferentially spaced, inwardly directed, radial lugs near the bottom of said skirt, wherein said lugs are of a thickness and depth corresponding with the depth and width of the grooves in said container and of a length corresponding with the length of the gaps in the walls separating said grooves; said lugs being of different lengths and the respective gaps in the walls between successive grooves being of corresponding lengths.

2. The container according to claim 1, wherein said longitudinally spaced, circumferential, channel-like grooves are complete and without interruption for the full circumference except, that the groove farthest in from the containers open end has a stop defining an end of a final locking pocket for one of the closures lugs.

3. The container according to claim 2, wherein there is a 5 second stop spaced circumferentially from that defining an end of the final locking pocket and located a distance on the other side of the last gap through which the closures lug engageable in the locking pocket passes.

4. The container according to claim 2, wherein the said groove farthest from the containers open end has a constric- 1on ad acent the final locking pocke and spaced from the end-defining stop by a distance not less than the length of the closures lug engageable in said pocket.

5. The container according to claim 4, and wherein the wall of the groove between the said pocket-forming constriction and the gap is at an incline. 

1. A safety container for packaging pharmaceutics and the like comprising a container with a cylindrical open end having longitudinally spaced, circumferential, channel-like grooves in the exterior thereof, walls separating said channel-like grooves, and gaps in said walls; and a closure including a cylindrical skirt with circumferentially spaced, inwardly directed, radial lugs near the bottom of said skirt, wherein said lugs are of a thickness and depth corresponding with the depth and width of the grooves in said container and of a length corresponding with the length of the gaps in the walls separating said grooves; said lugs being of different lengths and the respective gaps in the walls between successive grooves beIng of corresponding lengths.
 2. The container according to claim 1, wherein said longitudinally spaced, circumferential, channel-like grooves are complete and without interruption for the full circumference except, that the groove farthest in from the container''s open end has a stop defining an end of a final locking pocket for one of the closure''s lugs.
 3. The container according to claim 2, wherein there is a second stop spaced circumferentially from that defining an end of the final locking pocket and located a distance on the other side of the last gap through which the closure''s lug engageable in the locking pocket passes.
 4. The container according to claim 2, wherein the said groove farthest from the container''s open end has a constriction adjacent the final locking pocket and spaced from the end-defining stop by a distance not less than the length of the closure''s lug engageable in said pocket.
 5. The container according to claim 4, and wherein the wall of the groove between the said pocket-forming constriction and the gap is at an incline. 